


sweet dreams (are made of lies)

by celestialsucculent



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Gen, Memory Alteration, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:46:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29655666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialsucculent/pseuds/celestialsucculent
Summary: Cracker ogles at him, and Straw Hat stares back. There’s none of that fiery determination in his eyes now, none of the anger Cracker’d expect from someone who’d suffered a horrible defeat. Only a blankness, a guileless curiosity.“Straw Hat? Who’s that?” Straw Hat asks, and Cracker can only think,uh, you. He’d like to dredge up some of the anger he’d felt towards the boy just moments ago, but he's still working on picking his jaw up off the ground.OrLuffy's escape from WCI doesn't go quite as smoothly as one would have hoped.
Relationships: Charlotte "Big Mom" Linlin & Monkey D. Luffy, Charlotte Cracker & Monkey D. Luffy, Charlotte Katakuri & Monkey D. Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy & Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by【ALL路】甜味派对 by diemoony. Translation [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25818352/chapters/62717740).

Cracker feels like he’s been chewed up and swallowed. Like he’s been digested slowly and then shitted out.

That is to say, he feels like literal crap. 

So he is not even slightly surprised when he registers the hard cot beneath him, when he opens his eyes and is greeted by the pale, robin-egg blue of the infirmary ceiling. 

“Oh my, you’re finally awake?” 

Instinctively, he turns towards the voice, only to groan as his whole body seizes in protest. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Cracker tangles his fingers into the sheets, clenches his teeth, and rides out the swell of pain in silence. A sigh, to his left. 

“You’ve been out for two whole days. Not surprising I suppose, considering you’re beat to hell.” 

Cracker tries for a glare, but only manages to squint menacingly in his little sister’s direction. Smoothie is as unruffled as ever, sitting at his bedside with a wine glass held loosely in one hand. She’s removed her helmet, her white hair flows majestically over her shoulder, and Cracker hates how unscathed she looks. 

“Wh—” Cracker tries, only to choke on his too-dry throat. He stares meaningfully at the liquid in Smoothie’s glass. Smoothie smiles and swirls the juice enticingly. 

“Oh, I don’t think this flavor would be to your liking big brother.” She reaches over and rests her hand on Cracker’s shoulder, and at first, he thinks she means to help him lever himself up into a seated position, the better to drink from. 

But then her hand wraps around the bandages there, and twists in an all too familiar motion. She catches the runny, almost translucent liquid that pours forth in her cup, then leans back and takes a sip. 

“Ah, the bitter taste of defeat...with a tangy undercurrent of shame. How interesting.” She smirks. 

Oh, he should have guessed. He hates how she always, always towers over him, hates how vulnerable he feels looking up at her, so he forces his shaking limbs to move. He shifts and shuffles and bites his lip to make sure no sounds of anguish can escape, all under Smoothie’s careless gaze. Finally, he rests his back on the headboard of the bed, and ignores the sting that comes with beads of sweat sliding down his forehead into his eyes. 

Smoothie waves a hand towards the nightstand by his cot, and the pitcher there springs to life. 

“Water~! Beautiful water~! Life-giving, oh-so-refreshing water~!” It sings, as it pours into a cup. The cup smiles, and waddles towards Cracker cheerfully. He grabs the glass as quickly as he can, and brings it to his lips. 

“Whoa~! Steady now, steady! Careful!” The cup chants. Cracker’s hands are shaking, and some of the water sloshes out onto his chest, wetting the bandages there. Whatever. He manages to swallow enough to soothe his throat. 

“Where is Straw Hat now.” He demands as immediately as he is able. 

Smoothie tilts her head consideringly in his direction. “He’s been taken care of.” 

“Oh, how enlightening. And what exactly does that mean? What happened with his crew? Is Straw Hat dead?” Cracker feels a warring sense of relief and disappointment at the idea. He had wanted the boy’s head for himself. 

“Hmmm...the whole thing is rather...unorthodox,” Smoothie says at length, “Straw Hat...well, it’s best to see for yourself, I suppose.” She pauses. “The crew managed to evade our grasp for now, in shame, without their captain.” 

His crew had escaped? And Straw Hat was captured and somehow is still...alive? Possibly? Cracker remembers his mother’s all-encompassing rage and doubts that’d be possible. 

“About as clear as mud,” Cracker sneers, but he knows he isn’t going to be getting anything more out of Smoothie when she doesn’t want to say. Frustrated, he slams his cup down upon the dresser. Usually, he’d have the strength to shatter it, but today the glass only whines at him not to be so rough. He growls and clenches his fists and it _hurts_. 

He releases his fingers slowly and stares at his hands. 

“And...Mama?” he asks softly. 

Smoothie runs her hand soothingly over his shoulders, and he turns to look at her. “Mama finds herself wrapped up in other matters,” Smoothie says, and the vise of fear around Cracker’s chest loosens, “You are lucky that big brother Katakuri is so reliable. Everything was handled, and you even get to keep your rank.” 

Smoothie smiles and Cracker smiles back, and for a moment they are siblings. Then, the door behind Smoothie creaks open, and she withdraws her soothing hand and Cracker finds a scowl on his face once more. 

A nurse rushes in. “Ah, I thought I’d heard voices. It’s best to check your bandages now, Sir Cracker!” 

The nurse fusses, unwrapping bandages to reveal the ugly, purple-yellow bruises that lie underneath. Cracker grimaces, and Smoothie, seemingly bored, stands and walks out, calling out over her shoulder, “Get well soon, brother, so you can join the fun!” 

And then the door creaks shut. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting the ball rolling, next time we'll get some Luffy...thanks for reading!


	2. Straw Hat

A day and a half later, Cracker has finally regained enough strength to move, and leave the infirmary and its over eager nurses and its weakness and its singing pitchers behind. It’s a relief, considering he was about ready to crawl out of his own damn skin. 

A handful of his siblings had come to visit him (to gawk at him like an animal in a zoo, to gloat) over the course of his recovery. Each encounter had left him more frustrated than the last. All of his questions about Straw Hat had been met with shifty eyes and blatant deflection. Why were they keeping him in the dark? Pity? His lips curl at the very idea. 

So, he avoids the busy streets and construction sites, swarming with people ferrying materials too and fro to fix the destruction that Straw Hat had caused, and sticks to the empty side alleys where he won’t be stopped. He’s going straight to his best bet at getting some answers—to the shrine where Katakuri usually holds his merienda’s. 

Katakuri begins his time at the shrine at 3 o’clock on the dot, without fail. It’s 3:25. If Cracker has timed this right (and  _ of course, _ he has) there’ll be a window of opportunity to talk to his brother when he leaves the shrine. Easy. As someone who’d fought Straw Hat, who’d even stopped him, Katakuri would know the full story concerning the scum’s fate. 

Cracker pauses in the shadow of one of the crumbling buildings, allows a cart of gingerbread to drive past, and then continues onward himself. His big brother is straightforward enough to just tell him what had happened...though the usually attentive man had not visited him in the infirmary once. Even Mama had accepted his oversight. Cracker supposes it isn’t unlikely that Katakuri is even busier than usual, with all that had happened. All the more reason to catch him now before he had to return to his duties. 

Cracker catches sight of the shrine’s sloping, red peppermint roof and shoves the thoughts aside, quickening his pace and scanning the perimeter eagerly. No sign of his brother yet, but a patisserie stands patiently outside, baker’s smock covered in flour, the top of his large chef’s hat barely brushing the doorknob of the building. Cracker doesn’t believe he’s seen a moustache that big before—it was so bushy and brown, Cracker'd almost mistaken it for an animal at first. That wasn't one of Katakuri's usual chefs. 

With the stout man is a small slip of a boy with black hair, another figure that Cracker can’t quite place...perhaps an assistant? He’s turned away from Cracker, talking rapidly to the chef, gesturing with his hands. Whatever he says leaves the man flushed and pleased, and the boy laughs. 

“Oh, well, that’s nothing! Nothing at all! Why, you should swing by our kitchen sometime, then I’d make you something truly special Lu—” the chef notices his approach, “Ah, Sir! How delightful to see you up and about. Is there something I can do for you?” 

Cracker isn’t much in the mood for small talk, “No. Once he’s done, I’ll be talking to Katakuri about—” the boy turns, revealing an easy, toothy smile and a very familiar scar curling beneath his eye, “—Straw Hat?!” 

_ Here?! _

Cracker ogles at him, and Straw Hat stares back. There’s none of that fiery determination in his eyes now, none of the anger Cracker’d expect from someone who’d suffered a horrible defeat. Only a blankness, a guileless curiosity. 

“Straw Hat? Who’s that?” Straw Hat asks, and Cracker can only think,  _ uh, you _ . He’d like to dredge up some of the anger he’d felt towards the boy just moments ago, but he's still working on picking his jaw up off the ground. 

The chef fills the silence with nervous chuckling, “Ah, no one you’d need to concern yourself with! More importantly, do you remember this man, Luffy?” 

“Remember…?” Straw Hat’s brow furrows, and his eyes go far away, and for a moment there is a lost, dazed look about him. “Mmmm...cruh...cra....cracker?” Then, he blinks and something in his gaze clears. “Ah, right! Cracker! Hi!” 

The boy grins, and Cracker’d like nothing more than to beat him bloody. But he is no fool. Clearly, something in Straw Hat has been...altered. Cracker has no idea what’s going on, what Mama’s plans are. He can’t risk ruining anything now. 

“What are you doing here?” Cracker asks tightly, and he isn’t able to hide the edge in his tone. The chef runs his hands through his mustache nervously, eyes darting between them. Straw Hat blinks. 

“Oh! We’re waiting for Katakuri. He’s taking soooooo long. He must really like donuts...not that I blame him...donuts are real good. I could go for some donuts. Do you have any donuts?” 

Straw Hat looks at him expectantly, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. Cracker’s seen this look many times before, a younger sibling begging for the favor of the older. The similarity leaves him unsettled. 

He shakes his head and gives a curt, “Uh, no.” 

Straw Hat sighs in disappointment, “Ugh, lame! Well, looks like we gotta go get some food then.” 

For a moment, Cracker casts his mind back, and remembers lying in his hospital bed, thinking on every mottled bruise and broken bone and crushed biscuit. He’d imagined his next meeting with Straw Hat—every gory detail, every grueling blow of a battle that would ultimately, Cracker was sure, end as it should have. With Straw Hat’s dead body at his feet. 

That fantasy poofs into dust between one blink and the next, as Straw Hat intertwines their arms together, and pulls a slack-jawed Cracker onward, humming cheerfully all the while. 

The chef squawks in protest, scurrying behind them, waving his arms frantically. “Now hold it right there Luffy! Lord Katakuri said to wait right here, no wandering off. I already gave you plenty of donuts!” 

“Yeah, your donuts were really good, but I’m still hungry so we’re going to get food, bye,” Straw Hat explains, pace not faltering in the slightest, and ok, this is ridiculous. Straw Hat is  _ tiny _ . Cracker stops cold, and the boy is forced into an unexpected stop as well. He frowns and tugs at Cracker’s arm. “Hey!!” 

“I suggest you do as you’re told,” he threatens flatly, trying not to sound as off-balanced as he actually is. He might as well be talking to a brick wall. 

“No thanks,” Straw Hat says, planting both his feet firmly on the ground, “Now! Come! On!” Each word is punctuated by a futile tug on his arm. When that doesn’t work, Straw Hat circles around behind him to furiously shove at Cracker’s back and force him forward. “Move!” 

Cracker, of course, doesn’t move an inch. He clings to his scowl even in the face of Straw Hat’s ridiculous flailing, but when the boy slips and falls flat on his face, it startles a laugh out of him. He clamps down on the emotion hard and fast. It’s wrong for an enemy to act like this. 

Straw Hat whines, face squished against the ground pathetically, and Cracker can hardly believe that this is the man that sent him flying half-way across Whole Cake. 

“Getting into trouble again, Luffy?” 

“Katakuri!” Straw Hat cheers. Cracker whips his head around, almost relieved, and there the man stands, composed as ever, not a hair out of place. He closes the door to the shrine behind him, and Straw Hat springs to his feet and bounces over to Katakuri's side in an instant, a perfect emotional 180. “Took you long enough. How was it?” 

“Adequate,” Katakuri says, turning to the chef beside him, “You will be more than sufficient to replace the chefs I lost. Well done Clafoutis.” 

The chef—Clafoutis apparently—looks relieved. “I can’t thank you enough for your gracious words, Lord Katakuri. I’m overjoyed to have been of service, simply delighted. Anytime you have need of me, no matter the hour, no matter any obstruction, I will endeavor to give you my best and—”

“Katakuri,” Cracker interrupts, ignoring the chef’s deflated  _ oi _ , “I wanted to speak to you about…” He hesitates, eyes darting to the boy in question, who...is now crouching on the side of the road, talking animatedly with some daisies. At the flowers tittering insistence, Straw Hat stoops down, and sniffs the blooms one at time.  Could Straw Hat stop being weird for five seconds, Cracker despairs. 

“Cracker. I’m glad to see that you are well. Luffy?” 

“Eh?” Straw Hat looks up from the giggling flowers brightly, bright yellow pollen decorating the tip of his nose, “Time to go?” 

“Yes. Cracker would like to discuss something with me. I’d like you to return to the house with Clafoutis and—” 

Straw Hat’s displeasure is clear. “Whaaa? But you said we could visit Brulee. I’m tired of staying home! I’m better now, so let’s do something fun!” 

“Fun, fun, fun~!” the flowers exclaim excitedly. Cracker taps his foot restlessly. Katakuri betrays nothing. 

“Bear with it for a little while longer Luffy.” 

“But that’s not, fuh…huuh...” Straw Hat tapers off, face twisted comically in an attempt not to sneeze. 

Katakuri sighs, and bends down to wipe the pollen off the boy’s face with the pad of his thumb. The motion leaves Cracker’s stomach flip-flopping uncomfortably. It’s too...gentle coming from his big brother. Too soft. This was their enemy.

Straw Hat scrunches up his nose at the touch and sniffles. Katakuri straightens. “I will try to convince Brulee to join us for dinner. And if you hurry home, I will spar with you later.” 

Something eager flits across Straw Hat’s face at the word  _ spar _ . He considers things for a moment, rocking back and forth on his heels, before he cocks his head to the side impishly, and shoots Katakuri a crooked smile. 

“Alright, fine. Just this once,” Straw Hat says, swaying to his feet. He looks down at the flowers and snickers, “You all smell super weird. See you later!” 

“Buh-bye Luffy~!” the flowers sing back, fluttering their petals excitedly, ““Come back soon~!”

Straw Hat grins at them, and then turns, “Good to see you Cracker! Get better soon!” 

And before Cracker can even begin to think up a response to  _ that _ , Luffy dashes away, a flurry of energy and cheer. 

“Wait up Luffy!” Clafoutis huffs, stache billowing majestically as he hurries after the runt, “You’re going the wrong way!” 

Straw Hat doesn’t stop, because of course he doesn’t. Cracker counts to ten, takes a deep breath, waits until Straw Hat and Clafoutis are both out of sight, and then turns to look at Katakuri fully. The man already has a single brow raised in a muted sort of surprise, and Cracker knows that Katakuri is already fully aware of what he’s about to ask before he even says it. 

“What the fuck is going on here. Why is that scum—how is he so…Mama allowed…?” Cracker stands there, the tips of his hair sparking furiously. His brain is going in too many directions at once, and Cracker realizes how horribly foolish he’s acting a second too late, and in front of  _ Katakuri _ of all people. 

Cracker crosses his hands behind his back to steady himself, and then asks in an even tone, “Explain.” 

“I’m surprised you weren’t already made aware,” Katakuri says bluntly, “Straw Hat is to be considered our ally now.” 

Cracker grinds his teeth in anger, but he’s not surprised, considering Straw Hat’s behavior. “He dared to challenge Mama—he ruined the tea party, destroyed her presents….and even broke Mama’s precious photo. He nearly laid waste to all of Tottoland...and now he’s our ally?” Cracker scoffs, hands fisted. 

Katakuri looks at Cracker cooly, “Hnnnn. You’ve had first-hand experience dealing with Luffy’s strength haven’t you?” Heat rushes to Cracker’s gut; his hair sparks in warning. Harsh words (excuses) rest on the tip of his tongue, but before he can voice them—

“There’s no need to make things so personal,” Katakuri says flatly, shaking his head, “His fighting prowess is impressive, for a rookie. He can be a valuable resource. Mama agrees, for now.” 

Sure. The fact that Straw Hat is only a rookie, and was still able to beat  _ him _ ...it could be construed as impressive, even if it had been mostly down to luck. It wasn’t everyday that such destruction was rained down upon Tottoland. And Mama is greedy for strength, for everything, always. He could understand that. 

But Cracker knows that Straw Hat is not one to surrender. “How? How were you able to make him so…agreeable. His memories…?” 

Katakuri nods, “Pudding reconfigured Straw Hat’s mind. He has no memory of attacking Tottoland, no memory of his crew, no memory of...anything at all really, except for what has been placed there for him and allowed.” 

With the way Straw Hat had been acting, Cracker’s running hypothesis had been Katakuri hitting the kid so hard, he’d gotten brain damage or something. He hadn’t thought that Pudding’s fruit was even capable of something so...extensive. It doesn't seem feasible. 

But, if it is...Cracker remembers fighting Straw Hat, remembers the furious intent that had burned through every inch of him, and realizes that, for him, this is a fate worse than death. No wonder Mama had allowed it. It was enough to make Cracker’s fantasies seem like mercy. 

Cracker lets out a slow breath, and pushes the thoughts away. Straw Hat is the enemy. “I see. But he remembered my name?” 

“Did he? Pudding planted suggestions in Luffy’s mind, fragments of being Mama’s son and growing up with us, his brothers. It was one of Mama’s conditions.” Katakuri muses, “I suppose things are...settling.” 

Cracker’s lip curls at the word.  _ Brothers _ . “Hmph. Blood is the only true measure of family. No fake memories plopped into Straw Hat’s head can change that.” 

“Regardless, we must all play our part. Mama’s orders.” Katakuri says, and Cracker realizes then and there that Katakuri doesn’t really _get it_. 

“No. No, Straw Hat can’t be our ally...maybe I can talk to Mama, convince her—”

The full force of Katakuri’s gaze settles upon Cracker’s shoulders, “Do not let your  _ defeat _ cloud your judgement, Cracker.” Something acidic comes to life in Cracker’s chest at the rebuke, anger and shame intertwined. “Straw Hat serves us better as an ally than a foe.” 

Cracker’s hand spasms, so he makes a fist. This isn’t  _ fear _ ...he isn’t that pathetic. It’s understanding. He had seen Straw Hat’s will first hand. It was enough to lay him flat on his back, to defeat him. That drive could not be conquered like  _ this _ . With sickly sweet memories, and a gentle hand. No. 

“Are we meant to rely on some—some ‘suggestions’? Fragments? A few false memories? You really think that’s enough?” 

Katakuri narrows his eyes, looks through Cracker and sees what is to be. Then, “Perhaps seeing the process would put your fears to rest. It’s a great deal more thorough than you seem to give it credit for.” 

“I don’t think—” 

“I will summon you, the next time Pudding is meant to check on her work.”

“ _ Katakuri— _ ” Cracker growls, but the man just brushes past him, taking long, steady strides in the same direction Straw Hat had run off in earlier. 

“I must return to my duties,” he says over his shoulder, “I’ve dawdled long enough.” 

And that's that. Cracker is left standing alone, just as frustrated as he had been when he began. Perhaps more frustrated even. He sneers, and turns, making sure to crush the daisies that had cheered Straw Hat’s name harshly under his heel as he headed home. 

Fucking Straw Hat. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clafoutis is just a random guy I made up when I remembered that Katakuri had brutally murdered all his previous chefs for seeing his face lmao. He's named after a french dessert :D
> 
> Thanks for reading!!<3

**Author's Note:**

> Getting the ball rolling, next time we'll get some Luffy...thanks for reading!


End file.
